They made it over the wall just before sunset.


Soldier hadn’t even realized how quickly time had passed. The climb had felt endless, but as he finally straightened up and looked around, he understood why Civilian had been in such a hurry.


He took a deep breath, giving his lungs a moment to catch up with the effort. His shoulders ached, his legs were heavy, he could feel every muscle in his body. But the view…


The city stretched out before them like an endless sea of buildings, their long shadows crawling slowly across the ground as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Everything was quiet. Almost suspiciously peaceful.


“So? Was it worth it?”


Civilian crouched at the edge, elbows resting on his knees, watching him with a smirk. As if he knew the answer didn’t really matter, because the look on Soldier’s face said it all.


Soldier snorted. “Hmmfh.”


He didn’t want to admit it, but even he had to concede. The sight was mesmerizing. Maybe the most beautiful thing he’d seen in a long time.But maybe also the last, if something went wrong.


Civilian stood, dusted off his hands, and looked toward the sun as it neared the horizon with relentless certainty.


“Alright, but now we need to go. Before it’s completely dark.”


It wasn’t a suggestion. No explanation. No choice.


Soldier narrowed his eyes.

“Why?”


Civilian turned to him.

“Because once the sun goes down, we can’t be on the streets.”


He said it with the tone of someone stating the most obvious fact in the world, something everyone should already know.


Soldier tensed.

“And why exactly is that?”


Civilian was quiet for a moment. Then he shrugged.


“The shadows of the night start moving.”


A breeze swept across the edge of the ledge, stirring the ever-present dust around their feet. Something in the air shifted.


“And most of the people who went out at night… were never seen again.”


Soldier froze. Clearly, he didn’t know enough about this place.

“And the ones who came back?”


Civilian toyed with the buckle on his pack, then tapped a finger to his temple.


“Those won’t tell you much.”


Soldier waited. He didn’t understand.


Civilian had assumed he did. And now he realized just how unprepared Soldier was. Sent in with no warning, no knowledge of what waited on the other side. He shook his head in quiet disbelief.


Then, finally, he said it:

“They went mad. You get it?”


He didn’t.


Or more precisely. Had no idea what could be so terrible in the night that it would tear a person’s mind apart.


But he wasn’t eager to find out firsthand.


The sun was dangerously low now. The air grew colder. The shadows stretched longer. It was clear they had to get off the street. Immediately.


Soldier licked his dry lips.

“Alright. So where to?”


Civilian coiled the rope back onto his pack, swung the strap over his shoulder, and pointed toward the ruins to the north.

“Don’t worry. I know a place.”


Then he turned and walked on.


Soldier followed without a word.